"King of Bollywood is the all-singing, all-dancing back stage pass to Bollywood. Anupama Chopra chronicles the political and cultural story of India with finesse and insight, through fly-on-the-wall access to one of its biggest, most charming and charismatic stars."
--Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend it Like Beckham
  
"The 'Easy Rider Raging Bull' of the Bollywood industry and essential reading for any Shah Rukh Khan fan."
--Emma Thompson, actress
  
"Khan has essentially been deified by billions, and the unfolding of this iconic worship is one of King of Bollywood's delights… strongly recommended…"
--Library Journal
  
"…A bizarrely fun read."
--Publisher's Weekly

India is home to more than 1 billion people, speaking more than 20 officially recognized languages (with more than 2,000 distinct dialects). It is home to multitudes of religions and boasts the third largest population of Muslims in the world. India is a nation of extremes, where affluence and education are matched by poverty and illiteracy. In looking at the reality and complexity of modern India, one key question emerges: What is it that makes so many people, one people?
  
One answer to that question is Bollywood- India's thriving film industry that produces more than 200 films a year that reach more than 3 billion people around the world. Bollywood serves as a global glue, binding Indians together across gender, geography, religion, and age. Now in KING OF BOLLYWOOD: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema (Grand Central Publishing Hardcover/ August 7, 2007 / $24.99) acclaimed film critic Anupama Chopra offers the definitive look at both this industry that changed the face of India and its biggest star-Shah Rukh Khan.
  
KING OF BOLLYWOOD shows how Shah Rukh Khan grew to become Bollywood's biggest star-bigger than Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt combined. As a Muslim in a nation of Hindus, Shah Rukh Khan's story serves as a mirror reflecting the larger story of India and its transformation and emergence as a modern nation.
  
KING OF BOLLYWOOD also includes a full-color photo insert-featuring the top stars in India-that highlights the colorful costumes and lush backgrounds separating Bollywood from other film styles, along with a brief run-down of the colorful cast of characters that populate the story.
  
Kirkus raves Anupama Chopra has written "a neat encapsulation of an amazing career." More than just the story of one man's struggle to become a star, KING OF BOLLYWOOD is a sweeping portrait of a country finding its identity and of the industry that changed the face of India.
  
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ANUPAMA CHOPRA has an insider's knowledge of Bollywood. Her family has been in the business for over two decades and her husband, Vidhu Chopra, is a leading filmmaker. She has an MA in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and has written for the New York Times, LA Times and India Today. She lives in Mumbai.